Local task forces make drug bust
By Patrick Cooley, Special to The NewsArticle Photos
MARIETTA - A joint operation by the Washington County Major Crimes Task Force and Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force resulted in the seizure of prescription drugs valued at more than $9,000 and the arrest of a Davisville man.
"This is a good example of what we can do with joint cooperation," Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said at a press conference Thursday at the courthouse.
At the conference, officials from the departments that make up the task forces praised the cooperation among the departments, saying it was vital to the success of this operation.
"The agencies worked very well together," said Sgt. G. L. Brown with the West Virginia State Police. "Without their cooperation, this would have been on the streets, doing harm to the public."
Mincks said law enforcement agencies need to be in contact with each other to combat the drug problem in the area.
"There are five bridges connecting Washington County and Wood County," he said. "And on a regular basis, criminal involvement goes back and forth (across them)."
According to a press release from the sheriff's office, officers used a confidential informant to purchase drugs from Ola V. Nichols Jr., 58, of 361 Anderson Road, Davisville, W.Va.
Following the transaction, sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop, and arrested Nichols, recovering the $4,120 which the informant reportedly paid for 650 10-milligram methadone pills.
After a search warrant was executed on Nichols' residence, six plastic bags filled with marijuana, as well as several cigarettes rolled with marijuana, were recovered, police said.
Methadone, also known as Dolophine, is a powerful narcotic pain reliever prescribed for medium to severe pain, according to Mincks' release. The 10 mg pills recovered by officers on Wednesday are some of the most powerful methadone pills prescribed, it says.
Mincks said the rise in abuse of such medications is likely due to that fact that it is a substitute for opium-based drugs such as heroin, which are getting harder for drug addicts to obtain.
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DILLIGAS
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01-10-09 5:48 AM
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Twas a poor attempt at being sarcastic. The only victims involving drugs is the families and the many people who lose personal property and sometimes their lives. A person is a druggie because they chose to be one. I know too many people who decided to give up drugs and are now a productive part of society. I dont look at a tweeker as a victim. The end all solution is hit the dealers with stiffer and stiffer penalties untill it is no longer desirable to deal. If it means life in prison, so be it.
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greetingsyall
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01-10-09 12:00 AM
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police do a good job here in the valley, but i sure hope media whore sheriff minks runs his department and not the parkersburg sheriffs office.
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SHELIA
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01-09-09 11:09 PM
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And I am sorry Dilligas, but the dealers are NOT victims, they have a choice not to sell these drugs to someone who is desperate, they are using people and killing some in the process.
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SHELIA
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01-09-09 11:07 PM
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I agree with the fact that the users/addicts/buyers are victims. The sellers/dealers are dealing out death sentences every time they sell an addict a bunch of pills. No one knows what their tolerance is, untill it's to late, and I think they should give much larger sentences for these dealers who are getting rich off of addicts who scrape by and get the money to get high. It's very heartwrenching.
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DILLIGAS
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01-09-09 8:45 PM
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You're right sara, The druggies and their dealers are the victims. The system needs changed. However I am sure our ideas of change are completly different.
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Kunectdots
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01-09-09 5:49 PM
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Let the plea bargaining begin! See P. Slider conviction for reference.
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SaraBrum
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01-09-09 4:17 PM
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The main problem is that people get addicted to opiates like ****** and there is no help in the MOV. There is a methadone clinic, but the medication costs more than ******. There are people out there looking for the pill so they can live normal lives again. The system needs changed! Most of these addicts aren't bad people, just in a bad place.
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SHELIA
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01-09-09 1:57 PM
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But I agree, too many docs, give too many pills for too many of the wrong people.
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SHELIA
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01-09-09 1:53 PM
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Those pills were meant for people in severe pain, but some people *work the system*, get the dope and sell it for a laege profit. People who are addicted to said drugs have no common sense as to when *enough is too much* and overdose and DIE. Thank heavens they are off the streets!
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cat26037
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01-09-09 12:15 PM
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For the pills? Blame the doctors! They prescribe a pain pill for EVERYTHING!
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MatthewBB
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01-09-09 12:04 PM
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horray for the task force!!!
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SHELIA
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01-09-09 11:27 AM
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Get the dope off the streets! Way to go, those pills are really dangerous and no telling how many lives were saved from *overdoses* from methadone pills!
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